Living Water

She was an adulterer. Nobody wanted to be associated with her, and she knew it.

She felt worthless and ashamed.

But on this day, she needed to fetch water. So right in the middle of the day, she went to the well, hoping she would not run into anybody.

Oh no! There was somebody at the well! A man. A Jew.

“Now what do I do? I have to fetch water, but there is someone else there! I hope he doesn’t talk to me!”

“Give me a drink of water,” he said to her.

“Hold up! Does this Jew want water from me? Why? Has he forgotten that he is not supposed to talk to Samaritans?” Frantic thoughts went through her mind as she weighed her options.

“There is nobody else here to see me give him the water, so it won’t matter,” she concluded as she drew some water for the man.

But there was something different about this man.

After he drank the water, he mentioned something she had never heard before.

“Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst again,” he said.

“What kind of man is this? What can he give me that will make me never want to come to the well again? What kind of water is this, anyway?”

The words echoed through her mind, over and over.

“You will never thirst again.”

“Living water.”

“What if this water gives me a chance to start afresh? To have a new life? I am so sick of my life. If I could just get this water, maybe I could start over…”

The man continued speaking…

“Go get your husband.”

Her heart sank.

“I am not married,” she replied barely able to look him in the eye. It took everything she had to say the words that pierced her soul.

The man looked at her with compassion.

“That’s true. You have had five husbands, and the one you are with is not your husband,”

She felt a sharp pain in the pit of her stomach. How could he say that out loud? It was her secret!

But everybody knew, including this man. That’s why she came to the well when nobody else was around. To avoid the sneers and the stares that condemned her day after day.

This man was different, however. He did not condemn her. He knew everything about her, but he did not make her feel unclean.

She looked into his eyes, and then it dawned on her. Could this be Jesus, the man that everyone was talking about? Could this be the Messiah they had been waiting for?

Suddenly she felt clean. New. Refreshed. Loved. His voice gave her peace. She no longer felt like she didn’t matter.

“I must tell everybody!”

She was no longer afraid. She had nothing to hide. She was free!!!

And off she dashed into the village, telling everybody about Jesus.

What if Jesus had condemned her and treated her like trash? What if he had looked at her sinful life and decided that she was not worthy of the gift of living water?

He accepted her.

He lovingly pointed out her sin.

He lovingly presented Himself as the living water she needed so badly.

He led her to repentance.

He gave her a chance to experience new life.

Isn’t that awesome?

Jesus does not give up on us when we fall away. He is always there to receive us when we repent and turn back to Him. He lovingly draws us back to Him, regardless of how far away we have drifted.

Jesus calls.

Jesus accepts.

Jesus embraces.

Jesus loves.

We just need to accept His offer.

Living Water.

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:13-14 NLT)